The Dental Board of California is undergoing its sunset review in the state Legislature. In Assembly Bill 1519, authored by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, the dental board provides a status update to the Legislature and identifies opportunities for improvement. CDA has particular interest in three areas of the dental board’s sunset review bill, including clarifying how an applicant can obtain a new license after their initial license has expired.

This year, the Dental Hygiene Committee of California underwent its second sunset review, which was signed into law Sept. 17 by Gov. Jerry Brown, extending the committee’s regulatory authority until Jan. 1, 2023. The DHCC underwent two major changes during the sunset review. In addition to a formal name change to the Dental Hygiene Board of California, the DHCC will no longer be officially under the jurisdiction of the dental board.

On May 24, 2018, the Registered Dental Assistant Written and Registered Dental Assistant Law and Ethics examinations are expected to launch as a single combined exam. The Dental Board of California and the Dental Assisting Council in a December 2016 meeting agreed to take this action to “ensure that the combined examination is legally defensible and meets the requirements of Business and Professions Code Section 139.”

In their day-to-day practice, dentists and their teams must know and comply with federal, state and local laws — from the layered requirements of federal and state employment laws to the dentistry-specific California Dental Practice Act to local laws that enforce building codes. A first resource for dentists to help them navigate these laws is the Legal Reference Guide for California Dentists, updated and published in January by the CDA Practice Support experts.

After years of low pass rates on the RDA practical examination, a professional analysis that raised questions of exam validity and reliability, and a temporary exam suspension, the Dental Board of California decided to permanently eliminate the practical examination as a requirement for RDA licensure.

The Dental Board of California on Oct. 19, 2017, will implement a new set of fee increases to licentiates. These fee increases were approved by the state Office of Administrative Law Aug. 24, 2017, and their implementation comes ahead of the date previously reported.

CDA provides an online continuing education course calendar that includes pages of course offerings for dentists who want to enhance their practice and professional development or simply need credits for license renewal.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017, signed AB 1707 (Low, D-Silicon Valley) into law, which authorizes the Dental Board of California to resume issuing new RDA licenses and to extend the suspension of the RDA practical examination. AB 1707 contains an urgency clause, which makes the legislation effective now, rather than in 2018.

“Your Guide to California Dental Practice Act Compliance” was updated in January 2017 to reflect new laws concerning adverse event reporting, scope of practice, required language in the anesthesia informed consent form, online advertising through Groupon, notice of licensure, prescriber dispensing of controlled substances and several other areas of practice.

The first dental student at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC has completed the licensure by portfolio process. Alexandra Chamberlain, DDS, completed the school's Certification of Clinical Experiences for licensure through portfolio by passing seven clinical competency examinations.

Licensure renewal notices recently mailed by the Dental Board of California to dentists who need to renew their license provided the incorrect web address for online renewal. The new BreEZe online license renewal website is accessed at www.breeze.ca.gov, rather than the website provided in the notice.

The scheduled "go-live" date for the new online license renewal system known as BreEZe is Jan. 19. The BreEZe system (breeze.ca.gov) allows dental professionals to apply for or renew their licenses online, pay with a credit card, track the status of an application or licensing request, submit address changes and obtain proof of license status. BreEZe also enables consumers to verify a professional license and file consumer complaints.

The Dental Board of California and the Department of Consumer Affairs have launched a campaign to reach dentists and registered dental assistants whose licenses expire in January 2016, and urge them to renew their professional licenses as soon as possible. This comes as a result of the transition to a new online licensure renewal system known as BreEZe.

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is anticipating the launch of a new computer licensing system for dentists, hygienists and assistants in January. Known as the BreEZe system, it will allow dental professionals to apply for or renew their licenses online, pay with a credit card, track the status of an application or licensing request, submit address changes and obtain proof of license status. BreEZe also enables consumers to verify a professional license and file consumer complaints.

The governor has signed a bill that includes an increase in the cap on dental licensure fees, along with cap increases for most other fees, as part of the Dental Board of California’s sunset review. The proposed cap for initial and biennial renewal fees was part of AB 179 and will increase to $650 as of Jan. 1, 2016, and rise to $800 in 2018.

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is set to launch a new computer licensing system for dentists, hygienists and assistants in 2015. Known as the BreEZe system, it will allow dental professionals to apply for or renew their licenses online, pay with a credit card, track the status of an application or licensing request, submit address changes and obtain proof of license status.

The first student to complete the licensure by portfolio process at the UCSF School of Dentistry has graduated. Jose Molina, DDS, who is now practicing as an associate dentist in Fresno, chose to obtain his licensure through this process because he felt it was a more “complete assessment” of his competency as a dentist. He also appreciated the fact that he was able to work on his own patients, providing follow-up care as needed.

Dentists with licenses/permits that expire in August need to check their mail for renewal notices mistakenly sent in envelopes with a return address for the “Bureau of Automotive Repair.” The Dental Board of California confirmed that a vendor inadvertently mailed August renewals in the wrong envelopes, which could lead dentists to mistakenly discard their renewal notices.

CDA is making dentists aware of an issue that is occurring with license renewal notices being sent in the mail. A member recently notified CDA that she received her renewal notice in an envelope that had a return address for the “Bureau of Automotive Repair,” and nearly disposed of the unopened envelope. Subsequently, CDA confirmed that some notices might have been sent out by accident with the wrong return address.

The first two dental students in the country have now completed the licensure by portfolio process. The University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry students, Daniel Feldman and Dan Beroukhim, accomplished this by building a portfolio of completed clinical experiences and clinical competency examinations in six subject areas over the normal course of their clinical training. Calibrated UOP faculty evaluated the examinations.

The Dental Board of California is proposing an increase in the cap on dental licensure fees, along with cap increases for most other fees, as part of its sunset review. The proposed cap for initial and biennial renewal fees, recently approved by a legislative committee as a part of AB 179 (Dental Board Sunset Review), would increase to $650 as of Jan. 1, 2016, and rise to $800 in 2018.

The Assembly and Senate Committees on Business and Professions recently held a “sunset review” hearing for a variety of professional licensing boards, including the Dental Board of California. At the hearing, CDA acknowledged the board’s recent fee audit and, given recent increases in licensure renewal fees, urged the board to establish a structurally sound budget and a clear and evidenced-based process for future licensure fee increases.

In preparation for its Sunset Review this year, the Dental Board of California initiated a fee audit in December that examined, in detail, how much of the board's budget is spent on each board function - something that CDA strongly advocated for during discussions with the board on recent dental licensure fee increases. The completed audit revealed that the board spends significantly more on enforcement than for all other functions, predicts the board will run a $4.3 million deficit this fiscal year.

The Dental Board of California is currently in the process of auditing random dental practices to ensure that licensees are meeting the continuing education (C.E.) requirements necessary for license renewal. Over the last year, the dental board has been auditing approximately 60 dentists per month. Two issues identified during these audits are that licensees are unable to produce the appropriate certificate of completion for C.E. courses, and licensees are taking classes that are not dental-related.

Dental students in California will soon officially be able to graduate with a “portfolio” model exam process over the course of their final year in dental school. In November, the Dental Board of California finalized the regulatory process of approval for the portfolio examination model and California’s dental schools can now begin the implementation process (it is not a requirement for the schools, however). This is the first licensure-by-portfolio-exam program in the nation.

The Dental Board of California has released its 2014 Sunset Review Report to the state legislative bodies responsible for analyzing and approving the document. Areas of particular interest to CDA during the Dental Board’s sunset review process are ensuring the addition of statutory language that exempts treatment of a spouse or domestic partner from the definition of sexual misconduct and alternative licensure options, including regional and national examinations.

Dental licensure fees are on the rise as the Dental Board of California struggles with rising costs that have led to a significant budget deficit. An increase in initial licensure and biennial renewal fees from $365 to $450 took effect July 1, the current maximum allowed under law, which the Dental Board approved last fall. However, the board still projects a deficit even with the increase to $450. Consequently, the board sponsored SB 1416 (Block) this year, which was signed into law last month and raises the fee to $525 effective Jan. 1, 2015 - the amount the Department of Consumer Affairs has determined the board needs to remain financially solvent.

With the receipt last month of final approval from the state Office of Administrative Law, initial and biennial dental licensure fees will be increasing for the first time since 1998, effective July 1, 2014. A group of ancillary fees that is linked by law to the biennial renewal fee will be increasing as well.

The Dental Board of California has released for public comment its proposed regulations that would raise the initial licensure and biennial renewal fees for dentists from $365 to $450, the maximum currently allowable by state law. The public has until Sept. 23 to provide written comment (or in-person comment at a public testimony-only hearing to be held on that date in Sacramento).